In Paper Mario: Color Splash, paint is the resource used to restore color to cards. During battles, Mario can apply paint to cards before playing them, increasing their effectiveness and making the card system central to the game's combat.
Color Splash was designed around a paint theme. Mario carries a paint hammer and uses red, blue, and yellow paint to refill colorless spots throughout Prism Island. Paint can be collected by striking objects, and hammer scraps increase the amount Mario can carry. In battle, the card's type determines the paint color and amount required.
The cards themselves are not stickers, even though Sticker Star also uses collectible attacks. Coins are mainly the game's currency and can be spent in shops, while ink is not the named resource in Color Splash. The Wii U GamePad lets players select, paint, sort, and flick cards onto the battle screen, tying the resource directly to the console's touchscreen controls.